The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Roosevelt Middle School
Roosevelt Middle School is a regular public school serving sixth through eighth grade in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a densely populated, historically industrial port city on the South Coast. The school sits within the New Bedford Public Schools district.
The student body is large for a middle school. Hispanic students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by White students and then Black students; a small proportion of students identify as two or more races, and there is a negligible number of Asian students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so a family looking for that picture would want to ask the school directly.
State assessment results are the main window into academic performance here, and they paint a clear picture. On the NextGen MCAS, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math was about one in six. In English language arts, roughly one in five students met that bar. Science proficiency was lower, around one in ten, and on the eighth-grade social studies test about one in five students scored proficient or above. These numbers place the school’s overall proficiency—averaged across tested subjects and grades—in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Bristol County. The multi-year trend data, available for ELA and math going back several years, shows that these proficiency levels have remained consistently in a low range with no sustained upward movement; the most recent year’s figures are within reach of earlier peaks but have not surpassed them.
Because Roosevelt is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not included in the information available. Those are typical gaps for this grade band, not a signal of missing performance.
The community context matters for understanding the school’s setting. New Bedford is a city built around its port, which remains the nation’s highest-grossing commercial fishing port, and has a large Portuguese-American community. The city is also positioning itself as a hub for the offshore wind industry. Housing in the area around the school, based on a broad market measure, reflects moderate costs for the region, though affordability relative to incomes remains a consideration. The downtown and waterfront areas offer a walkable, historic core with cultural anchors like the Whaling Museum and a national historical park. The city has passenger rail connections and ferry service to the islands.
The school district has been in motion. The New Bedford School Committee approved a three-year strategic plan for 2024 through 2027 that prioritizes early childhood education, literacy, college and career readiness, and family engagement. The district also approved a budget increase for fiscal year 2025, with investments in curriculum, technology, and social-emotional learning support. At the same time, the district has experienced declining enrollment, and there have been public discussions about potential school facility consolidation and repurposing. That kind of conversation can eventually affect building assignments and program availability, so families may want to stay informed about where those discussions lead.
For a parent considering Roosevelt Middle School, the essential facts are straightforward. This is a school serving a diverse, large student body in an urban port city. The academic results, as measured by state assessments, are low overall and have been for years. The district is investing in improvement efforts through a new strategic plan and additional funding, but those initiatives have not yet changed the proficiency picture. The city itself has a strong sense of place, with a working waterfront, cultural institutions, and an industrial heritage. The housing market is more accessible than in many parts of eastern Massachusetts but still reflects upward pressure. Families who want to understand how the school’s academic trajectory matches their child’s needs will have the clearest view by visiting the school, speaking with staff about student support and curriculum, and asking how the district’s strategic priorities translate into daily classroom experience at Roosevelt.
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